The Reebok Crossover High School Christmas Holiday Showcase

The following pictures were taken during the Reebok Crossover High School Christmas Holiday Showcase in Hampton, VA. The showcase included local area high schools including Bethel High School, Hampton High School, I.C. Norcom High School, and Williamsburg Christian Academy. All of the pictures were taken during the Williamsburg Christian Academy/ Bethel High School game, which the Bethel Bruins won 60-56.

It was good to see basketball back in the Coliseum. Some of us can remember some of the bigger high school games (Hampton vs. Bethel) and even a few preseason NBA games taking place at the venue. It would be nice to see the local area schools hold more of their postseason tournaments there, as opposed to a schools’ gymnasium. Maybe I’m being a little nostalgic, but having more events at the Coliseum would seem to bring us back to the good ‘ol days just a bit!

Also, check out the lighting scheme of the Coliseum.

Hampton Landmarks Show Solidarity to France

This week the city of Hampton, VA lit up two of its most prominent landmarks with the Tricolore in solidarity with France.

One of Hampton's four sister cities is Vendôme.

The Evolution of the Hampton Coliseum Lights

The Hampton Coliseum is a multi-purpose entertainment arena located in Hampton, VA. Since its opening in 1970, the Coliseum has been host to several sporting events, as well as to entertainment acts and stars such as Marvin Gaye, Elvis Presley, Tina Turner, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, the Grateful Dead, the Rolling Stones, U2, R.E.M., the WWE, and Phish. The Coliseum is also home to the annual Hampton Jazz Festival.

The Coliseum comes with an interesting eye-catching feature, familiar to people in the area.

It has been the history the Coliseum to signify an event night by illuminating the exterior of the building with white lights. During the month of December, the Coliseum would illuminate the exterior with several colored lights to celebrate the holiday season. This sequence can be seen on the Hampton Coliseum’s logo.

The arrangement of the Coliseum lights made a drastic change in 2010 when the City of Hampton decided to add to the usual illuminations by surrounding the building in red lights to celebrate the structure’s 40th anniversary. Since then the Coliseum has enhanced its approach to its varying light schemes throughout the years. Below are a series of photos that illustrate the different lighting schemes of the Hampton Coliseum.

*Hampton Coliseum during an event night*

Hampton Coliseum's 40th Anniversary (2010) — *Hampton Coliseum's 40th Anniversary (2010)*

*Fort Monroe National Park Initiative (November 2011)*

*Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (January 2012)*

Virginia Hot Rod & Custom Car Show

The following pictures were taken at the Virginia Hot Rod & Custom Car Show at the Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, VA. The auto show exhibited several vintage car models, motorcycles, and other automotive vehicles throughout the arena floor. There was a very large turnout for the show on both days of the event. Hopefully this car show can persist for years to come. Here are a few pictures of the cars that were on display:

Tips for Photographing a Car Show:

Get to the exhibit as early as possible.
Limit your flash. A lot of light can create a glare on the car and possibly ruin your shot.
Use a polarizing filter to limit unwanted light.
Watch your ISO settings.
Shoot at a higher or lower level than eye level.
Do not limit yourself to just shooting the car. Shoot other aspects of the car such as the interior, under the hood, the hood ornaments, and other nuances that exhibit the character of the car.
Respect those who came to see the cars, not you taking pictures.